No-Knead Cheese Burger Buns: so easy, so CHEESY

The recipe writers here at King Arthur Flour have been chatting lately about what recipes seem to get the biggest response from you, our readers.

After all, there’s no sense creating recipes if no one wants to bake ‘em, right?

We used to read food magazines to spot trends. Now we do that, and SO much more…

For instance, we’ve found Facebook is a wonderful “instant focus group” for questions like, “What’s your favorite flavor?” (The answer? Chocolate by the slightest margin over vanilla, closely followed by lemon.)

Or, “What classic treat (besides cookies) do you HAVE to bake for the holidays, or else everyone gets mad at you?” (Stollen; pretty much a runaway.)

If you haven’t yet joined the fun on our Facebook page – what are you waiting for?

I love seeing what everyone’s baking; people post pictures from all over the world. And it was fun hearing everyone’s favorite unofficial “state dessert” as a result of Tuesday’s poll – which regenerated the Maine/Pennsylvania whoopie pie controversy, as well as good discussion around St. Louis (Philadelphia?) Gooey Butter Cake.

Which brings us back to, what recipes REALLY float your boats?

Flavorwise, we can’t go wrong with chocolate. Or lemon. And, though it didn’t make the top three in our Facebook flavor poll, coconut.

The essence of Vermont cheddar cheese in easy-to-use powdered form, it blends beautifully with your dry ingredients. There’s no need to adjust your recipe to account for the added fat and moisture of fresh cheese; and, unlike many cheeses, it doesn’t give your bread a speckled appearance after baking.

Want to try it? Purchase it from us; or check your local grocery store for Cabot cheese powder, usually found alongside the grated Parmesan and other “canned” cheeses.

PJ Hamel was born in Wisconsin, grew up in New England, and graduated from Brown University. She was a journalist in Massachusetts and Maine before joining the King Arthur Flour Company in 1990, where she's been ever since. Author or co-author of three King Arthur ...

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Wonderful idea. I just made your basic beautiful buns last night but would like to give this a try. Do you have any suggestions to sub- out the cheese powder? I’ve not been able to find such an ingredient in Germany. Thanks!

I have made a previous version of cheesy burger buns, a kneaded version. They are a staple here, and we have even made small versions for sliders. They are my hands down favorite burger bun, sandwich bun, breakfast sandwich bun. We love the Vermont Cheese powder too, especially for making the kids some mac and cheese that doesn’t look like a mess of food coloring. Love your products, love your recipes, thanks for such a great blog!

I have been using King Arthur products for several years now, and really enjoy everything about your website. Anything I have tried; flours, ingredients, appliances, mixes, etc. work great! I couldn’t do without my Zo breadmaker. I use it for everything.
Do have one question. What is the maximum amount of flour one can use in the Zo and still get good results? Can you use as much as 5-6 cups(with other ingredients) and it not cause a problem?
Again, thanks for all you do to help us bakers with advice and new ideas.The standard machine can hold about 5 cups flour and 2 cups liquid! ~Jessica@KAF

Sure! Use the Zo to mix,knead and for the first rise of the dough – using the Basic Dough cycle. Be sure to lift the cover and check the consistency of the dough during mixing – adding water if it seem dry and flour if it seems wet. There are more tips for this recipe at the blog post titled “Add the pickle, add the lettuce” from June 2009. Happy Baking! Irene @ KAF

I also have been making my own buns for burgers and my family LOVES them. I would love to try these but first I have two questions. Do you think I could use my muffin top pan? Do you think if I used my orange cheese powder the buns would look too ghastly to be appetizing? I keep asking my supplier if he will stock the cabot powder but no luck yet.

The Vermont Cheese Powder works just fine – the only way to decide if your cheese powder will work is to try it and see what your family’s reaction is! Let us know what they think! Happy Baking! Irene @ KAF

I’d like to make these for a cook-out we’re having this weekend but don’t have the required pan. I DO, however, have a jumbo muffin pan which looks sort of like what you’re showing in the picture. Would that work. I like the idea of the shape of the buns rather than the free-form version. Suggestions?

The Jumbo Muffin Pan sections are 4 1/2″ wide and 1/2″ deep. The Hamburger Bun Pan is 4 1/2″ wide and a little more than 1″ deep. Your pan should help provide a bit of structure to the base of the buns. We’d love to hear about your results! Happy Baking! Irene @ KAF

I have avoided using the Vermont Cheese Powder because I am not sure what it is. Is it real cheese? If it is real cheese why is it a powder? I know that KAF uses natural products but I don’t know anything about this cheese powder.

You can check out the list of ingredients and the nutritionals by looking at the web page for the Vermont Cheese Powder, then click on Nutritional information. We also like the Cabot cheese in a shaker/canister. Other customer/bakers have mentioned they grate cheese, then freeze it and grind it in a food processor. So many variations! So little time! Irene @ KAF

What do you mean “store” them? I think they’d be gone almost immediately Cheese and bread were a match made in heaven- thanks for another great recipe (and thanks for the Cabot mention)
~Jacquelyn

There’s only 2 in my family, so we’ve been lucky to bake a batch of burger buns and successfully freeze leftovers for future burger nights. Maybe we need to have friends over for burgers more often as this recipe does impress! Irene @ KAF

I made the Beautiful Buns last week and baked them in muffin top pans. I was amazed at how they shaped up like burger buns instead of rolls on a flat baking sheet. Now I need the burger bun pan! Thanks for the advice on using the Zo for this recipe, I love that machine!

made the beautiful burger buns yesterday and made these today, shaped for hot dogs…it made 15 hot dog buns…can you tell we just got the grill going?…these are wonderful….nice texture, great taste, easy to make…the perfect recipe!…i will confess to using 2 ounces of white whole wheat instead of all AP flour, but otherwise followed the recipe as shown.
thanks for another great recipe!

Hooray for cookout season! Don’t you love this time of year? We had a barbecue tonight, too – hotdogs, steak, and lamb ribs. May you enjoy many more “bun-filled” times this summer! PJH

I’m kinda new to baking and the only shaped pan I have right now is a regular muffin pan, so I’m going to use this recipe to make my own buns for sliders! We’re gonna do a couple bison and a couple turkey burger sliders, probably with some more cheddar and bacon.

However, because I’m new to baking I don’t have a stand mixer yet and I get somewhat nervous reading KAF recipes since I’m not exactly sure how to emulate it without a mixer. If this recipe calls for 2 minutes beating at a high speed, how long should I mix it for my hand? Can I use my handheld mixer that I normally use for mashed potatoes or is a stand mixer attachment different? Thanks in advance, KAF!

Can you make these buns using the wheat flour? You may use whole wheat flour, though I would start by using 50% wheat and 50% white. Also be sure to increase the amount of liquid by 1 tbsp per cup of whole wheat flour. ~Amy

As well as any other bread – which is “OK, not great.” Don’t freeze longer than a few weeks; thaw in the fridge overnight, stored loosely in a plastic bag; and reheat, tented with foil, for about 10 minutes in a 350°F oven. PJH

I had to try these for my grandsons who are visiting to help plant the “big” garden. I did not have the Vermont Cheese Powder but substituted Parmesan Cheese. The only real problem was that after tasting these, I’ll never be able to eat the store bought kind. All the boys described the rolls as the best ever. Two of them asked to have the recipe sent to their Mom. Outstanding recipe, and they must be failure proof if I can do it!! Thank you very much.

Wow, that’s a great endorsement! Thanks so much for sharing – with your grandsons, and with all of us here. Good luck with your garden – may you have many tomatoes (my favorite…) PJH

These are fabulous! I’ve been trying to get a hamburger bun recipe that I liked, and this it. None of use need “super-sized” buns or burgers, so I divided the dough by eight, and the buns were ample.

My wife and I also feel that an English muffin is perfect as a hamburger bun. It’s the right size, and the crust holds up to burger fillings well without being tough We make a lot of those at our house using bread dough. I recommend it!I love using the sandwich size english muffins for burger buns. A little bit of crispness in the crust sets off the burger and melty cheese to perfection. We like to use them for tuna melts too. Thanks for sharing! ~ MaryJane

I scaled the buns at 2 ounces – for sliders. They probably could have been smaller (2 ounces was 4 bites). I substituted Parmesan as I didn’t have any VT cheddar powder. Very good with pulled chicken as the filling.

This was so easy and very tasty. I increased the salt to about 1.5 tsp and used the cheap can of parmesan from the grocery store and they tasted great. I also used a muffin tin and made smaller bun type things. Well done, KAF!

I’m really looking forward to trying these. Do you think the recipe would work without the cheese? You can omit the cheese, but be sure to let it mix before adding the full amount of water to see how much it will need. Omitting the cheese may alter the liquid amount slightly. ~Amy

A question about internal temperature at altitude. I live in Wyoming at 6300 feet, and find that the internal temperature of my bread does not hit the mark that it did when I baked at sea level. Water boils at a considerably lower temperature here. Would this affect the temperature of a “done” loaf or bun? I have not been able to force the temperature above 190, give or take a degree F. Thanks, Laura If the temp of the loaf has trouble getting to 190′ this may be an indication the loaf is dry. Try working with a wetter dough, still striving for soft and supple dough. We’re here to help before or after you bake again! (800-827-6836 – ask to speak with a baker). Irene @ KAF

The Red Dog Breakfast at Stadium Grille is now one of my favorites. The sweet bun is an interesting and satisfying leap. But I think they have done great work at that place. I love Flat Branch for the beer, but I eat the chicken wrap there. I love the Burg for the happy hour and memories, but I eat the apps there. I love Booches, but the ambiance weighs heavily on my love for the burger (which, dont get me wrong, is amazing in its simplicity). But color me in favor of Stadium Grille.

Hi, I notice in the recipe above, it states 1/3 cup Vermont cheese powder or 1/2 cup grated Parmesan or sharp cheddar, but when I go to print the recipe, it states 3/4 cup Parmesan or other cheese. Should it be 1/2 cup or 3/4 cup of other cheese (I don’t have Vermont cheese powder)? Thank you!I’m not sure where you are reading the 3/4 cup cheese on the recipe, but it is in fact 1/2 cup Parmesan or other cheddar if you are omitting the Vermont Cheese Powder. Happy baking! ~Jessica

Oh, the original printable version did say 3/4 cup of cheese, I have it right here in front of me, but I see it’s been corrected. Thank you!!

Brenda, you may be looking at the recipe for Cheese Burger Buns, which calls for 3/4 cup cheese; rather than No-Knead Cheese Burger Buns, which calls for 1/2 cup. Very similar recipes, just slightly different flour/liquid ratio… PJH

Wow, we loved these buns!!! So very easy and the taste was terrific. I have been making my own hamburger buns off and on but, now I will never go buy them again. Because of King Arthur Flour and my constant baking I am expected to bring “bread” to every family gathering, period! My nieces even bought me a custom made rolling pin. Hint! Hint!
Love your whole company.

I was so excited to find this website and have been baking up a storm lately. The inlaws are coming in July for a visit and dad likes his burgers and is very picky about his buns, so I thought I would make these. I have done some practicing, since I am new to the bread baking world. I have now tried these for a second time with no success in getting the dough to rise. What am I doing wrong? Fresh flour and yeast. I was successful in the English muffin bread, but not these. I don’t want to go back to store bought breads ever again. Thanks, tammy Hi Tammy, it is usually easier to diagnose a complication like this in a conversation over the phone. We would love to help you reach success before your family’s visit in July. Please give us a call on the baker’s hotline 802-649-3717. We look forward to hearing from you soon. ~Amy

I really like this recipe, but my hamburger buns don’t seem to brown up very much — any thoughts on why this might be so?

Thanks!

Steve, did you brush them with butter? Bake them in the upper part of your oven? I’m assuming you didn’t let the dough rise for hours and hours, which would deprive it of all its sugar, and thus its browning ability… Please call our baker’s hotline, 802-649-3717, if you’d like to have a conversation about this, OK? PJH

I saw this post before our family gathering on the 4th of July and decided I would make the cheesy burger buns for our hamburgers. Well, I received the highest compliment ever from my son-in-law when he asked where I bought the burger buns!!! You know you’ve found a winning recipe when it tastes like it was made commercially, and is good enough to sell in the marketplace. Thank you, KAF, for helping us home bakers provide the best baked goods for our families and friends!!!Glad to hear it Karen! It’s always nice getting the son approval, and we’re happy to help. ~Jessica

I haven’t visited this blog that much, but I would like to start making some of the recipes on here. I usually go to the regular site to view and save recipes. I’ve noticed that a lot of the recipes call for instant yeast and I would like to know how I can substitute dry active yeast for this recipes that call for instant yeast. I’ve read online that instant yeast saves time, but lacks in flavor and I’d rather stick to what I know. This is a great-looking recipe and I’d love to try it if someone would be so kind as to give me some advice about substituting regular yeast. ThanksHi there,
For using active dry yeast in our recipes here, just use the same amount as the instant yeast and let the yeast proof in some of the water from the recipe for about 10 minutes before beginning. Easy as pie and twice as nice. ~ MaryJane

I made these buns on saturday for my Mother-in-Law & Sister-in-Law, they were fabulous! The only thing I am wondering about is they are so thick, that I actually cut a middle slice out of the middle, used the thin slice for a sandwich! I used the hamburger pan from KAF. Are they supposed to be like that? In the pictures, they appear to be not as thick. Thanks, every recipe I’ve tried so far on KAF has been excellent!Sounds like they needed more moisture, or perhaps too much flour was added to the dough. Give us a call on the Baker’s Hotline, or toss us a line in chat! We’d love to help troubleshoot. ~Jessica

Want to use this recipe to bake 60 slider sized buns. Would it be safer to make recipe and shape 10-12 buns and then repeat 5 times or can I double safely all ingredients. I have muffins tins of standard, large & mini cupcake size. I’m stressed about free-forming & would think a muffin tin could substitute for any speciality pan. Any advice for getting the large quantity without baking 1-3 batches each day for nearly a week? I want them baked up by next Saturday.

Kathy, each bun in this recipe should make 3 sliders; so you’ll have 18 sliders per recipe. That would be 54 for triple the recipe, or 72 if you make the recipe twice, doubling it both times. If you double the recipe, don’t double the yeast; all the other ingredients should be doubled. I’d think you could make them in a standard muffin pan – if you borrow an extra pan or two from a friend (so you have 3 pans), that would be enough for each double batch. I’d also think you could do this over the course of part of a day, rather than bake 3 batches a day for a week…? Not quite sure where you’re getting that schedule… But anyway, this shouldn’t take more than part of a day. Good luck – PJH

What do you mean by “gently deflate”? Should most of the gas bubbles be worked out? Yes, the deflating is just a process of releasing the CO2. It’s not necessary to push every last bit out- just a majority. ~Amy

I think I just found another use for my whoopie pie pan. It’s very similar to the bun pan. Any any bread I can make without kneading is always a contender. Cheesy rolls? Yum. Can’t wait to try this. Love the photos and thank you for the great how-to.

I tried this recipe and the buns came out really tasty, only that the texture wasn’t light enough and was more like biscuits (or scones) than a burger bun. Instead of using an electric mixer or bread machine, I had simply used a large spoon to mix the ingredients, and had supplemented instant yeast with active dry yeast (mixed with a pinch of sugar and the water in the recipe), were these the reasons my buns have come out with a different texture?

You’ll see the dough was mixed with an electric mixer for 7 minutes (or with the dough cycle of the bread machine). This 7 minutes with the electric mixer will yield a smooth, soft, shiny, elastic dough that helps create the lighter yeast bread texture – it’s difficult to get this result by hand mixing – unless you’re looking for a workout as well! Using active dry yeast should also create a good rise in this recipe as instant yeast does. Happy Baking! Irene @ KAF

Your recipes never fail me, and this one is no exception. I had the Vermont Cheddar Powder on hand, and I was waiting for the right recipe to use it (for the first time). The only thing I did differently, was I used Rapid Rise yeast. Other than that, I stuck to your instructions/ingredients. I used the dough hook on my stand mixer, and found the dough came together very easily. It rose in an hour. They were very easy to shape, and they baked to a beautiful golden brown in about 20 minutes. Wow, did they ever smell good! I think that the cheese and onion powder are crucial to developing the flavor of these buns. Oh, I do have the burger pan, and I have grown to like it. My own mistake was I got lazy and didn’t measure each piece. D’oh! I eyeballed it, and some were a bit bigger than the others. Details. They had a beautiful crumb to them. Very tender. The cheese flavor was just right– not overpowering at all. My only suggestion is that these DEFINITELY should be toasted, before adding a burger on top. The juiciness of the burger made parts of the bun turn a little mushy. I’d definitely make these again. In fact, I’ll be blogging them soon. Thanks again!

I made these two days ago and they were awesome! Love this recipe, only one problem. Yesterday (day old), they were not at all soft anymore. Not quite stale, but not soft. I followed directions to let cool completely, the store airtight. I’m not sure what went wrong. Can you help please? I used parmesan cheese, not fresh grated but a high-end parmesan-reggiano. Could that be the problem? I brushed with butter twice, before and after, like the recipe states. Like I said, the flavor was incredibly good, I just would like a better keeping quality. Especially since I’m just one person. Also, can they be freshened in the oven like artisan bread? Thanks!

Sorry, I’m not sure what caused them to “stiffen up” – except for the natural stiffening that comes with cooling. As bread cools, the starch in the flour absorbs as much liquid as it can; this causes bread to quickly lose its fresh-baked softness as it cools. Why doesn’t this happen to store-bought rolls? Because they add various chemicals to prevent “staling,” as they call it. The way to release the starch’s liquid, and to make the rolls soft again, is to reheat – as you suggest. So yes, when you want to enjoy a soft roll with fresh-baked texture and taste, simply heat it briefly in a toaster oven or regular oven – just until it’s soft and starting to warm. I think you’ll enjoy the result. Good luck – PJH

Either method should work for mini buns. Do you want to freeze the balls of unbaked dough, or freeze the baked rolls? If baked, yes, wrap them tightly in plastic, then place in an airtight plastic bag, and freeze for up to 3 months. PJH

These buns look yummy! I keep both salted and unsalted butter in my freezer so I never run out. Which should I use in this recipe? I will be using the grated pram since I don’t have the cheeses powder (yet :). So I will be adding the additional teaspoon of salt.
Thanks!